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Re: Going Treatment Free - step 1

Originally Posted by Adam Foster Collins

Nothing you're saying or doing is countering the idea that it isn't simple.

Who is saying that it is simple? I still haven't seen any examples of this idea. Who have you been reading or listening to that has said that treatment free beekeeping is simple? Was it someone you had any reason to take seriously?

Honestly, I wish the folks who are implying that beginners take up treatment free beekeeping because someone told them it would be easy or simple or surefire would give us some examples of this actually happening. Maybe some completely clueless newbee might have expressed such a hope, but who would take that seriously? I spent literally hundreds of hours this winter trying to learn everything I could about beekeeping, and I don't recall seeing that notion put forward even once. There's a huge difference between saying "I succeeded at treatment free beekeeping" and saying "I succeeded at treatment free beekeeping and there was nothing to it."

To me, it seems as if you are worrying about an incorrect attitude that doesn't actually exist.

Every credible source I've read has said that going treatment free is tough and that losses must be expected. Where did you hear different?

Re: Going Treatment Free - step 1

It's easier cos you don't have to "mess with all those chemicals", and it's cheaper.

That idea has definitely been eschewed. But lately, by which I mean the last year or two, things have got a bit more real.

Also, a lot of the more misleading stuff has been said by beginners without much experience. But other beginners still read them and take the message, same as any beginners reading you and assume you must know what you are talking about. So why not believe any other rank nubee?

Re: Going Treatment Free - step 1

While I think that it is at least the same amount of work as standard beekeeping, if not more, I wouldn't characterize treatment free beekeeping as any more challenging than standard beekeeping. You'll need to use alot of the same equipment and mnagement practices anyway.

It's easy to obtain suitable bees whether you get them from Bee Weaver, or they're VSH, or you get them from another source.

The challenge of establishing a treatment free apiary isn't much different from a standard apiary. It takes time (and money) to figure out what works.

There is one statement that was made regarding not needing to do mite counts because the affected colonies would be culled. I think that is a mistake since you want to avoid having resistant colonies that have significant mite counts and high virus titers that can have an adverse local impact.

This abstract on pathogen spillover can help you understand why all treatment free colonies aren't desirable:

Re: Going Treatment Free - step 1

Originally Posted by WLC

While I think that it is at least the same amount of work as standard beekeeping, if not more, I wouldn't characterize treatment free beekeeping as any more challenging than standard beekeeping. You'll need to use alot of the same equipment and mnagement practices anyway.

It's easy to obtain suitable bees whether you get them from Bee Weaver, or they're VSH, or you get them from another source.

The challenge of establishing a treatment free apiary isn't much different from a standard apiary. It takes time (and money) to figure out what works.

There is one statement that was made regarding not needing to do mite counts because the affected colonies would be culled. I think that is a mistake since you want to avoid having resistant colonies that have significant mite counts and high virus titers that can have an adverse local impact.

This abstract on pathogen spillover can help you understand why all treatment free colonies aren't desirable:

I have done nothing except not treat and started with 5 nucs last year. Over wintered them and i am up to 12 this year and plan to split again as soon as the snow melts. ya, snow. What the luck in Kansas.

Re: Going Treatment Free - step 1

Originally Posted by WLC

While I think that it is at least the same amount of work as standard beekeeping, if not more, I wouldn't characterize treatment free beekeeping as any more challenging than standard beekeeping. You'll need to use alot of the same equipment and mnagement practices anyway.

It's easy to obtain suitable bees whether you get them from Bee Weaver, or they're VSH, or you get them from another source.

The challenge of establishing a treatment free apiary isn't much different from a standard apiary. It takes time (and money) to figure out what works.

There is one statement that was made regarding not needing to do mite counts because the affected colonies would be culled. I think that is a mistake since you want to avoid having resistant colonies that have significant mite counts and high virus titers that can have an adverse local impact.

This abstract on pathogen spillover can help you understand why all treatment free colonies aren't desirable:

Re: Going Treatment Free - step 1

Post #63, Bernard says he has noticed that there is a correlation between taking honey from a hive and its survival. I'm glad to see that someone else is thinking about this. I have been mulling around whether one of the keys to the higher overwinter survival rate of nucs is that they do not have their honey taken; I suspect that there is something protective in a set-up that allows a colony to prepare for winter from the moment it is set-up and has all summer to do it. I am enjoying the civil tone of this thread. Beesource at its best.